Contactor



Sept. 6, 1949- J. B. BUBB ET m.

CONTACTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1946 INVENTORS JOHN 5. 5055 y (#42455 f. #Vrzmce ATTO/P/VEYS Sept. 6, 1949.

J. B. BUBB EIAL 2,481,194

CONTACTOR Filed Jan. 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIIIIIIII x INVENTORS Jaw 5. 505a w Amm ATTORNEYS 4 Patented Sept. 6, 1949 Y ooiv'rAo'ron ohn B. Bubb,

This invention relates to eiiztended electrical conductors and current collecting shoes arranged to travel thereon for powering mobile equipment such as, for example, overhead cranes. t

In general the objects oi our invention include the provision of equipment of this type wherein an extended and insulated electrical conductor is formed of identical sections, any one, of which can'be readily removed and replaced without the necessity of first disconnecting and removing any other section; wherein an adequately insulated traveling contactonis maintained in positive and running electrical engagement with the extended conductor; and wherein the construction of these members :is simple and relatively inexpensive.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth atlength in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected'for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming apart of the present specification is outlined in full. In said drawings; one form of the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

, Referring to the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal midsection of a sectionalized conductor and traveling contactor embodying our invention. I f f Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the section line 2--2 of Fig. 1 through one of the conductor joints.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1 through the traveling contactor.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of one of the conductor joints.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the section line 5-5 of Fig. 1 through one of the conductor joints.

As shown in these various figures, the extended conductor includes a plurality of identical conductor bars rectangular in cross-section and conveniently made in ten-foot lengths. Formed on each end of each of the bars H is a notch l2, by which a flush lap joint can be made between each bar and the next succeeding bar, screws |3 being used to secure the overlapping ends. Fitted about each conductor bar is a sheet metal liner or inner sheath |4 provided on its lower side with an open slot l5 defined by laterally spaced downwardly extending flanges l6 and I1. Surrounding the liner I4 is an insulating sheath Palo Alto, and Charles 5E. Wallace, L

"San Jose, Calif.

' AppIication'January IZ, 1946, seri l Nae-40.789

T "l Claim. (o1.19r 35) |8 of rubber or other'insulating material provided onfitsj lower side with a channel IQ for the accommod'ation of the flanges- I6 and H, the channelsffi and, |9being inopen communication withthelo'wer face of: the conductor bar Encasing the'insulating sheath 1| 8 is a one-piece metal outersheath or casing 2| 'formed on'its upperface with a central and upwardly extending folded rib 22, and at its 'lower'end with inwardly turned flanges 23 and underlying the base ,of the insulatingsheath H3. The upper face of the outer sheath 2| storms roller trackways 25 and25, the function of which will be presently describe'd. I I

The liners I4 are of, particular importance for they protect the insulating sheaths I 8 from wear, and since they have a lower coefiicient of friction than rubber, the bars H can be threaded through them more readily than through an unlined insulating sheath. Furthermore the use of the liners l4 permits the insulating sheaths l8 to be made of a relatively cheap grade of rubber. .Each end of the inner sheaths l4, insulating sheaths l8 and outer sheaths 2| terminates short of the end of itsassociated conductor bar H. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the sheath l4.terminates at a point 21, the insulating sheath I8 bein rovided atthis'pointwith abeveled end 28. The outer sheath 2| terminates at a point 29- irnmediatelyto the rear of the end 28. 1; As. a result of this construction, the jointed end-s'of the conductor bars II are exposed, making, each joint readily accessible in the event that any particular conductor bar has to be repaired 'or replaced.

The joints thus exposed are insulated by removable sections including a pair of identical and opposed inner metal sheath sections 3| and 32 provided on their'lower surface with downwardly extending flanges 33 and 34. The sections 3| and 32 and their downwardly extending flanges 33 and 34 are arranged to form a continuation of the inner metal sheath l4. Surrounding the opposed sheath sections 3| and 32 is an insulating sheath 35 having beveled ends 36 arranged to overlap the beveled ends 28 0f the insulating sheath I 8. Fitted over the sides of the insulating sheath 35 are a pair of opposed outer sheath members 31 and 38, each provided respectively with central upstanding ribs 39 and 4| and at their lower edges with inwardly extending flanges 42 and 43. The upstanding ribs 39 and 4| are formed at each end with offset portions 44 and 45 arranged to overlap the adjacent ends of the ribs 22 of the outer sheaths 2|. Each of the offset portions 44 and 45 are fastened to the upstanding ribs 22 of the adjoining outer sheaths 2| by rivets 46. It will therefore be seen that the sheath sections encasing the conductor bars II can be readily removed to expose the flush lap joints formed on the end of the bars, and that any two adjacent conductor bars can be readily unjointed by simply unscrewing the screws l3. It should also be noted that the shoulders 41 and 4B of the outer sheath sections 31 and 38 form a continuation of the roller trackways 25 and 26. Riveted at spaced points along and to the upstanding ribs 22 are brackets 49 by which the structure so far described can be fastened to any suitable support.

Supported on each of thetrackways 25 and 26 is a carriage 50 including a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers and 52, each roller being journaled on a pin 53. Suspended from each of the pins 53 is a strap .54, aspacing washer being interposed between each strap and. its associated roller. Supported by the straps .54 is a contact carrier 55 provided with upstanding lateral walls 56 and with upstanding end walls 51. Welded to each of the end walls 51 are a pair of transversely extending sleeves 58, and extending through each of the sleeves 5B is a bolt .59 by which the contact carrier 55 is fastened to the depending straps 54. Seated within the contact carrier 55 is a brush holder receptacle Bil made of plastic or other insulating material, the bottom wall of which is provided with a central opening 62. Accommodated within the receptacle 6| is a metal brush holder 63 formed with a plurality of longitudinally aligned, vertical compartments B4. Slideably disposed within each of the compartments 64 is a collecting brush 65, each of these brushes being urged upwardly by aspring 65 disposed in the lower end of each of the compartments 64 so that the upper end o'feach brushwill be maintained in positive engagement with the conductor bar 1 I. Formed integral with the brush holder 63 is a button 70 extending downwardly through the opening 62 and which is insulated from the housing 55 by an insulating washer 6.1. Fastened to the button '10 by a screw '68 is the terminal loop 69 of a pigtall 11, the loop being insulated from the housing 55 by a washer '12. The hot leg of the circuit usedfor powering the mobile tool passes through the extended conductor bar H, through the brushes 55, and through the ,pigtail H.

Removably fastened to and across eachpair of straps 54 by screws 13 is a longitudinally extending bar 14 and secured to the inner face of each of these bars between each pair of straps 54 is a shoe [5. The shoes 15 are arranged for sliding contact with the side walls of the outer sheath 2| and are preferably made of a self lubricated bearing metal. By resorting to this construction the rollers 52 can be maintained in proper alignment without the necessity of using rails and flanged rollers.

It will be seen that by resorting to a device of this character the conductor bars and the movable contactors are always adequately insulated, always in positive electrical contact with each other, and if need be any section of the extended conductor bar can be readily removed and a new one spliced in without disturbing any other section.

, We claim:

A contactor comprising a casing having an elongated-opening in one side and formed-to provide an elongated trackway on the other side, electrical insulating material disposed within said casing and having walls defining an elongated channel. including a centrally enlarged chamber merging 'with, an outwardly openingf n'arrow groove, a conductor bar within and substantially occupying said chamber, a conducting sheath having an enlarged portion interposed between said conductor bar and said walls in said chamber and having a narrow portionleaving an exposed portion of said conductor andlining the walls in said groove, a carriage movable 'on' said trackway, and a narrow brush on said carriage extending into said channel-"between the confines of the narrow portion of said sheath to abut the exposed portion of saidconductor.

5 JOHN B.IBUBB.

CHARLES E. WALLACE.

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

,Benbow .Oct. 14, 1947 

